Environmental Chemistry (CHEM207)

INTRODUCTION
Dr. Rami Oweini
 Contents

• The Environmental Sciences

• Environmental Chemical Processes
• Environmental Chemicals
• Units of Concentration

Dr. Rami Oweini | roweini@bau.edu.lb Environmental Chemistry (CHEM207) 2

 Introduction
The Environmental Sciences

‘the environment’ has not always been topical

last 45 years – Earth Day (1970) – 22 April 2016

World Environment Day – 05 June 2016

Dr. Rami Oweini | roweini@bau.edu.lb Environmental Chemistry (CHEM207) 3

 Introduction
The Environmental Sciences

Fundamental environmental sciences –

Geology, geophysics, meteorology, oceanography, hydrology, ecology

Dr. Rami Oweini | roweini@bau.edu.lb Environmental Chemistry (CHEM207) 4

 Introduction
The Environmental Sciences

Environmental Compartments
Dr. Rami Oweini | roweini@bau.edu.lb Environmental Chemistry (CHEM207) 5
 Introduction
The Environmental Sciences

Environmental physical sciences have been traditionally concerned with

individual compartments

Geology – solid earth

Meteorology – the atmosphere
Oceanography – salt-water bodies
Hydrology – freshwaters

Dr. Rami Oweini | roweini@bau.edu.lb Environmental Chemistry (CHEM207) 6

 Introduction
The Environmental Sciences

In general it has been the physical behavior of these media that has been
perceived as important…

Dr. Rami Oweini | roweini@bau.edu.lb Environmental Chemistry (CHEM207) 7

 Introduction
The Environmental Sciences

Chemical behavior is now perceived to be just as important!

e.g. Stratospheric ozone depletion

Atmospheric chemistry – became a matter of serious scientific study only in

the 1950s

Prior to this it was believed that the composition of the atmosphere was
entirely constant

Dr. Rami Oweini | roweini@bau.edu.lb Environmental Chemistry (CHEM207) 8

 Introduction
The Environmental Sciences

Two reasons for the development of environmental chemistry:

1. development of new analytical technology

2. observed variations in environmental chemical concentrations

Dr. Rami Oweini | roweini@bau.edu.lb Environmental Chemistry (CHEM207) 9

 Introduction
The Environmental Sciences

James Lovelock’s invention of the electron capture detector:

CFCs recognized as minor atmospheric constituents

Monitoring of CFC levels – requires ppt sensitivity

Substantial increasing trends in atmospheric halocarbons up to 1990

Montreal protocol slowed and reversed these trends

Dr. Rami Oweini | roweini@bau.edu.lb Environmental Chemistry (CHEM207) 10

 Introduction
The Environmental Sciences

Perspective

Environmental chemistry is the discipline that studies the chemical aspects

of the environment

Environmental chemistry is a unique sub-discipline of chemistry just like

organic, physical, inorganic or biochemistry

The 1995 Nobel Prize in Chemistry was awarded for work on stratospheric
ozone depletion by chlorofluorocarbons

Dr. Rami Oweini | roweini@bau.edu.lb Environmental Chemistry (CHEM207) 11

 Introduction
Environmental Chemical Processes

Environment contains many trace substances at a wide range of

concentrations…

Dr. Rami Oweini | roweini@bau.edu.lb Environmental Chemistry (CHEM207) 12

 Ions Found in Natural Waters

Artiola et al, 2004

Conc. Range Cations Anions
(mg L-1)
0-100 Ca2+, Na+ Cl-, SO42-, HCO3-

0-25 Mg2+, K+ NO3-

0-1 Fe2+, Mn2+, Zn2+ PO43-

0-0.1 Other metal ions NO2-

Reeve, 2002
Dr. Rami Oweini | roweini@bau.edu.lb Environmental Chemistry (CHEM207) 13
 Introduction
Environmental Chemical Processes

Challenge!!!

Find a similar chart for air and a similar chart for soils

Dr. Rami Oweini | roweini@bau.edu.lb Environmental Chemistry (CHEM207) 14

 Introduction
Environmental Chemical Processes

In general…

Atmospheric environmental chemistry – reactions occur over both short and

long timescales, depends largely on reaction rates, requires thorough
understanding of kinetics

Aquatic environmental chemistry – reactions occur rapidly, depends largely

on equilibrium processes and thermodynamics

(but not true for persistent organics!)

Dr. Rami Oweini | roweini@bau.edu.lb Environmental Chemistry (CHEM207) 15

 Introduction
Environmental Chemicals

Major areas of coverage:

(i) Chemistry of freshwaters

(ii) Chemistry of salt waters

(iii) Chemistry of soils and rocks

(iv) Environmental organic chemistry

(v) Atmospheric chemistry

Dr. Rami Oweini | roweini@bau.edu.lb Environmental Chemistry (CHEM207) 16

 Introduction
Environmental Chemicals

Dr. Rami Oweini | roweini@bau.edu.lb Environmental Chemistry (CHEM207) 17

 Introduction
Layers of the Atmosphere

Dr. Rami Oweini | roweini@bau.edu.lb Environmental Chemistry (CHEM207) 18

 Introduction
Environmental Chemicals

The total amount of sulfur released into the atmosphere per year by the
burning of coal is about 75 million tonnes. Assuming this were all solid
sulfur, how big a cube would this occupy? Assume the density of sulfur is 2
g/cm3.

Mass = (7.5 x 107 t) x (106 g/t)

Vol. of cube = mass/density = (7.5 x 1013 g) / (2 g/cm3) = 3.8 x 1013 cm3

Side of cube = 3.35 x 104 cm = 335 m

As tall as the empire state building

Dr. Rami Oweini | roweini@bau.edu.lb Environmental Chemistry (CHEM207) 19

 References

• Artiola, J.F., Pepper, I.L., and Brusseau, M. (2004) Environmental Monitoring

and Characterization. Elsevier, Amsterdam.
• Harrison, R.M. (2007) Environmental Chemistry. The Royal Society of
Chemistry, London.

Dr. Rami Oweini | roweini@bau.edu.lb Environmental Chemistry (CHEM207) 20